Top 5 Activ players from week 1 of ICC World T20

The 2016 ICC World T20 may only be a week in, but there have already plenty of impressive performers and performances. New Zealand and West Indies have won both their matches and stamped their authority on the tournament, which has seen some surprising occurences.Just like Castrol Activ’s Actibonds cling on and protect the engine from damage even after it is shut off, there are players who have excelled so far in the tournament, helping their teams do well.Here are the best players from the tournament's first week -

#1 Mitchell Santner

Although New Zealand are dark horses in most cricket tournaments that they enter, not too many hopes were raised prior to this tournament as they had a side that hadn't played much in the IPL and were also without Brendon McCullum.

But the performance of Mitchell Santner across both games, where he has already picked up 6 wickets at an economy rate of 5.12 and an average of 6.83. Although Santner has always been an economical bowler across all formats, he wasn't seen as a wicket-taking option but on pitches that are offering him assistance, he has been almost unplayable.

Giving the ball enough time to turn with his pace and flight, Santner has been impressive with his control.

#2 Joe Root

The main reason why England aren't on the verge of being knocked out of the tournament is Joe Root. The right-hander was one of the few English batsmen who seem to have understand the importance of not just hitting big but staying at the crease for long enough to make an impact on the game.

While his 48 against West Indies eventually came in a losing cause, it was his 83 against South Africa that secured a world-record run chase as far as the English were concerned. The impressive thing about Root's innings was that he managed to maintain his shape and play classical strokes even though the format is one that is dominated by big-hitters who can hit the ball a mile.

#3 Ish Sodhi

New Zealand have undeniably been the most impressive team in the tournament, so there should be little surprise that they have two players that feature in this list. While it has been Santner that has been getting all the plaudits, the efforts of his spin-bowling partner shouldn't be forgotten.

Being a leg-spinner is arguably the most difficult task in cricket. While it is arguably one of the most eye-catching roles, it is an artform that makes it incredibly for a bowler to be economical as well effective, when it comes to taking wickets.

Yet in the two matches so far, Ish Sodhi has managed just that. While four wickets in two matches might not seem like much, the fact that he has taken those wickets at an average of 8 and an economy rate of just 4, shows just how impressive he has been.

#4 Quinton de Kock

There aren't many players who enjoy playing in India or against India as much as Quinton de Kock. While the main focus when it comes to the Proteas batting might be about AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and David Miller, it is de Kock, who was been more consistent and impressive so far in the tournament.

In both games, South Africa have scored at more than 10 runs per over in the powerplay and much of that has been down to de Kock, who has got them off to flying starts. He equalled the record for the fastest T20I fifty in the first match against England and was unlucky to miss out on another fifty in the second.

If de Kock continues to give the Proteas good starts, then there is a very good chance that the likes of de Villiers and Miller have a much better platform from which to go berserk.

#5 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle may not have had a chance to bat in the second match against Sri Lanka because of a hamstring injury but his performance in the opener against England was more than enough to guarantee him a place in this side.

His century against England broke a slew of records including the one for the fastest World T20 century and most centuries in World T20 history and joint-most in the history of T20Is. Although that was his first T20I in more than a year, the ferocity with which he hit the ball was as if he had never stopped playing.

While West Indies now fret about whether Gayle will feature in their next match or not, the fans, like they were at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, will be hoping that he is fit to play more innings like the one against England in the latter stages of the tournament.